it’s such a unifying question whenever you’ve been on the subway and you grab
you’ve been on the subway and you grab
you’ve been on the subway and you grab something you’re like oh that’s wet and
something you’re like oh that’s wet and
something you’re like oh that’s wet and why is that wet and that’s weird and or
why is that wet and that’s weird and or
why is that wet and that’s weird and or you sit somewhere in the seat still warm
you sit somewhere in the seat still warm
you sit somewhere in the seat still warm and you know it’s just warm but it still
and you know it’s just warm but it still
and you know it’s just warm but it still feels weird I think the interesting
feels weird I think the interesting
feels weird I think the interesting thing is that people base their fear on
thing is that people base their fear on
thing is that people base their fear on ignorance and they don’t know what’s
ignorance and they don’t know what’s
ignorance and they don’t know what’s there and so I want to try and show that
there and so I want to try and show that
there and so I want to try and show that what’s there is mostly what you’ll find
what’s there is mostly what you’ll find
what’s there is mostly what you’ll find on other surfaces so petha map is a
on other surfaces so petha map is a
on other surfaces so petha map is a project to examine the longitudinal
project to examine the longitudinal
project to examine the longitudinal microbiome or the bacteria on the
microbiome or the bacteria on the
microbiome or the bacteria on the surfaces across the New York City subway
surfaces across the New York City subway
surfaces across the New York City subway system we wanted to look at just what’s
system we wanted to look at just what’s
system we wanted to look at just what’s there and no one really knew so we just
there and no one really knew so we just
there and no one really knew so we just started swabbing and then sequencing
started swabbing and then sequencing
started swabbing and then sequencing everything we could see we did the Train
everything we could see we did the Train
everything we could see we did the Train and then two places at the station
and then two places at the station
and then two places at the station usually a bench or the turnstiles on the
usually a bench or the turnstiles on the
usually a bench or the turnstiles on the garbage cans or the kiosk
garbage cans or the kiosk
garbage cans or the kiosk this covers all approximately 656 miles
this covers all approximately 656 miles
this covers all approximately 656 miles of the New York City subway system and
of the New York City subway system and
of the New York City subway system and all of the over 30,000 different sort of
all of the over 30,000 different sort of
all of the over 30,000 different sort of turnstiles one of the real goals to know
turnstiles one of the real goals to know
turnstiles one of the real goals to know very well what baseline and normal looks
very well what baseline and normal looks
very well what baseline and normal looks like so if we did see an aberrant
like so if we did see an aberrant
like so if we did see an aberrant species or bacteria we could know that
species or bacteria we could know that
species or bacteria we could know that it is different enough to be able to
it is different enough to be able to
it is different enough to be able to react to it but the obvious application
react to it but the obvious application
react to it but the obvious application of it would be provided defense or just
of it would be provided defense or just
of it would be provided defense or just for tracking infectious disease could
for tracking infectious disease could
for tracking infectious disease could really respond quickly and potentially
really respond quickly and potentially
really respond quickly and potentially quarantine an area to prevent other
quarantine an area to prevent other
quarantine an area to prevent other people from getting sick not only in the
people from getting sick not only in the
people from getting sick not only in the city but also maybe airports places like
city but also maybe airports places like
city but also maybe airports places like that we found things like Enterococcus
that we found things like Enterococcus
that we found things like Enterococcus facility what could be commonly
facility what could be commonly
facility what could be commonly associated with a fecal bacteria as well
associated with a fecal bacteria as well
associated with a fecal bacteria as well as things like staph and strep things
as things like staph and strep things
as things like staph and strep things that you normally would hear of and
that you normally would hear of and
that you normally would hear of and think oh no I don’t want that we’ve also
think oh no I don’t want that we’ve also
think oh no I don’t want that we’ve also seen some very good actors like
seen some very good actors like
seen some very good actors like lactobacillus type strains things that
lactobacillus type strains things that
lactobacillus type strains things that you would find in yogurt or that are
you would find in yogurt or that are
you would find in yogurt or that are normal sort of bacteria in your mouth so
normal sort of bacteria in your mouth so
normal sort of bacteria in your mouth so you can find some things that are very
you can find some things that are very
you can find some things that are very very good and things that could be
very good and things that could be
very good and things that could be potentially bad
the subway is a mirror of humanities
the subway is a mirror of humanities surfaces so there’s both an angel and
surfaces so there’s both an angel and
surfaces so there’s both an angel and demon on every surface somebody gets
demon on every surface somebody gets
demon on every surface somebody gets cleaned and essentially it gets washed
cleaned and essentially it gets washed
cleaned and essentially it gets washed away so it’s almost like the forest gets
away so it’s almost like the forest gets
away so it’s almost like the forest gets cleared and then the morning commuters
cleared and then the morning commuters
cleared and then the morning commuters come and drop their seeds and by the
come and drop their seeds and by the
come and drop their seeds and by the afternoon there’s a whole forest again
afternoon there’s a whole forest again
afternoon there’s a whole forest again that’s Reese proud of whatever people
that’s Reese proud of whatever people
that’s Reese proud of whatever people live behind the subway is us it’s coming
live behind the subway is us it’s coming
live behind the subway is us it’s coming from all of us so if you just rubbed all
from all of us so if you just rubbed all
from all of us so if you just rubbed all of the subway services it would be akin
of the subway services it would be akin
of the subway services it would be akin to rubbing all of the people I walk
to rubbing all of the people I walk
to rubbing all of the people I walk through it which on the one hand is a
through it which on the one hand is a
through it which on the one hand is a little bit terrifying gross but on the
little bit terrifying gross but on the
little bit terrifying gross but on the other hand is kind of this interesting
other hand is kind of this interesting
other hand is kind of this interesting humanistic view that we’re all on this
humanistic view that we’re all on this
humanistic view that we’re all on this together we’re all in the same big petri
together we’re all in the same big petri
together we’re all in the same big petri dish but as long as you don’t have any
dish but as long as you don’t have any
dish but as long as you don’t have any open wounds and you’ve wash your hands
open wounds and you’ve wash your hands
open wounds and you’ve wash your hands you’ll be just fine and even if not
you’ll be just fine and even if not
you’ll be just fine and even if not you’ll probably just be fine
”
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